Musonius Rufus

Tommaso Gazzarri (Union College, New York)

Ed. by Sophia Papaioannou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.1.2: Ancient Roman Writing and Culture (Republic and Empire), -750-476.
Vol. editors: Anca Dan (École Practique de Hautes Études PSL), Martine Diepenbroek (University of Johannesburg), William John Dominik (University of Otago), Giacomo Fedeli (University of Exeter), Victoria Fendel (University of Oxford), Thomas Habinek (University of Southern California), Emily Kneebone (University of Nottingham), Elodie Paillard (University of Sydney), Sophia Papaioannou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Guendalina Daniela Maria Taietti (University of Liverpool), Jula Wildberger (American University of Paris)

Dates

Born c. 30
Died c. 101
Activity c. 60-c. 101

Places

Born in Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire)
Active in Ancient Rome (Republic & Empire)

Activities

Primary

Philosopher

Resources

Musonius Rufus' Works

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Life

Gaius Musonius Rufus (hereinafter M.) was a Stoic philosopher and teacher of Etruscan origin, active in the second half of the first century CE (c. 30-100 CE). M. was born in the Etruscan city of Volsinii (Bolsena), and his family was of equestrian status. His life is marked by three different periods of exile. During the first one, around the year 60 CE, he followed Rubellius Plautus who had been banished by Nero to Asia Minor (Tacitus, Ann. 15.71). After the assassination of Rubellius, M. came back to Rome to resume his teaching activity. The second period of exile took place immediately after the Pisonian conspiracy in 65 CE (Tacitus, Ann., 15.71; Cassius Dio, lxii. 27; Philostratus, Vit. Apoll., 7.16) and ended probably under Galba (68 CE) who called M. back to Rome from the

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1410 words

Citation: Gazzarri, Tommaso. "Musonius Rufus". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 29 June 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13787, accessed 21 November 2024.]